CLINTON - The Cedar Rapids Kernels have built a reputation for not giving up even when they fall behind early, but even when you prove you can come back, sometimes it’s just not enough.

That was the case Saturday night at Ashford University Field in Clinton as the Kernels fell to the LumberKings, 6-5 in 11 innings, before a crowd of 1,652.

Kernels hitters struggled against Clinton pitcher Matt Anderson throughout Anderson’s seven innings of work. The Clinton starting pitcher held the Kernels to three hits, though the Kernels did scratch out two runs against him.

Two Kernels hits came in a scoreless first inning and both runs the Kernels scored against Anderson were unearned. He struck out seven hitters and walked just one.

Kernels starting pitcher Tim Atherton labored a bit more than Anderson, but Manager Jake Mauer was happy to get five innings from the right-hander.

Atherton gave up five hits and walked one. He struck out five batters.

Caleb Brewer relieved Atherton to start the sixth inning. After striking out the first hitter he faced, Brewer gave up a single to Clinton catcher Tyler Marlette.

Marlette went to second base on a wild pitch and, with two outs, stole third base and scored on a Gaby Guerrero single to right field to give the LumberKings a 3-2 lead.

The LumberKings appeared solidly in control with a 5-2 lead when Blake Holovach relieved Anderson to start the eighth inning. That’s when the Kernels began their comeback.

Cedar Rapids came through with three runs to tie the game in the eighth inning after Anderson departed. Holovach failed to record an out against the five Kernels hitters he faced, giving up a pair of walks and three hits, including an RBI single by J.D. Williams and a two run single by Dalton Hicks that tied the score at 5-5.

Cedar Rapids had an opportunity to move ahead in its half of the ninth inning.

Joel Licon singled to lead off the inning and moved to second base on an Oliver Garcia wild pitch. But Jonathan Murphy popped up an attempted sacrifice bunt to Garcia, Williams popped up to shortstop and Niko Goodrum struck out to end the threat.

The Kernels also moved a runner into scoring position in their half of the 11th inning when Michael Quesada and Licon both worked Garcia for walks. Williams followed with a ground ball to second base and Tim Lopes failed to come up with the ball cleanly, but Williams was called out on a close play at first base.

Clinton won the game in the 11th when Guerrero started the inning with an infield single off the glove of Travis Harrison at third base, moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Martin Peguero’s RBI single to left field.

Alex Muren (4-1) took the loss, facing just three hitters. Madison Boer worked three scoreless innings for the Kernels.

Kernels Manager Jake Mauer liked the work of a couple of his pitchers.

“Timmy (Atherton) did a nice job. Competed. Kept the game where it was. He did a fine job," said Mauer.

“(Madison) Boer’s had two nice outings for us. He’s thrown the ball well, been in attack mode. He went right at guys, didn’t back off."

In the end, though, Mauer couldn’t help but think back at the missed opportunities.

“We had chances to win. Chances in the eighth, chance in the ninth," he said. "Probably our hottest guy up there in the 11th. Just couldn’t get that big base hit."

Asked whether the call on Williams at first base was hard to swallow, Mauer was philosophical.

“It’s going to go both ways. If we’re (complaining) about a call at first, then we don’t deserve to win. We had so many chances," he said.

"These young guys don’t understand, it doesn’t come down to one call. If you do what you’re supposed to do when you’ve got a chance to do it, it doesn’t come down to that.”

The Kernels will play the LumberKings in Clinton again Sunday at 2 p.m.

KERNELS (5): Williams, lf, 6 1 2 1, Goodrum, ss, 4 0 0 0, Hicks, 1b, 5 0 2 2, Harrison, 3b, 4 0 0 0, Kepler, cf, 5 0 0 0, Walker, dh, 4 0 0 0, Quesada, c, 4 0 0 0, Licon, 2b, 5 2 3 0, Murphy, rf, 2 2 0 0. Totals 39 5 7 3.

CLINTON (6): Henry, dh, 4 1 1 0, Marte, ss, 5 1 1 0, Pizzano, lf, 5 1 2 2, Zorrilla, cf, 4 0 0 0, Marlette, c, 5 2 2 0, Lara, 1b, 2 0 1 2, Ard, pr/1b, 3 0 0 0, Guerrero, rf, 5 1 4 1, Lopes, 2b, 4 0 1 0, Peguero, 3b, 4 0 1 1. Totals 41 6 13 6.

Kernels     001 010 030 00 - 5 7 1
Clinton     000 201 200 01 - 6 13 3

Atherton, Brewer (6), Boer (8), Muren (11) and Quesada. Anderson, Holovach (8), Garcia (8) and Marlette. W - Garcia (5-3). L - Muren (4-1). 2B - Lara (19), Marte (8). SB - Murphy (1), Guerrero (8), Marlette (8). E - Harrison (18). T - 3:17. A - 1,652.